AI to find early bladder cancer changes in Veterans exposed to carcinogens
Official title: BCCMA: Basic and Translational Mechanisms of Cancer Initiation of the Urothelium in Veterans Exposed to Carcinogens: Leveraging Artificial Neural Networks to Enhance Detection of Carcinoma in situ
Funded at Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys · NIH-11247453 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Using AI and tissue studies to spot early bladder cancer changes in Veterans who smoked or were exposed to deployment-related chemicals.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Palo Alto, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2021 |
| Project end | September 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX005598-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11247453 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Veterans with a history of smoking or deployment-related chemical exposures, particularly those undergoing bladder evaluation or surveillance, are the most likely candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without bladder cancer risk factors or those with advanced metastatic disease are unlikely to benefit from early-detection-focused approaches.
What this research studies
This project combines lab studies of bladder lining samples with advanced artificial neural networks to find the earliest signs of cancer in Veterans exposed to carcinogens. Researchers will study genetic, immune, and epigenetic signals in carcinoma in situ and examine how a protein called PPARγ influences cell behavior. The team will train AI to better detect abnormal cells and to help sort patients by risk. The goal is to guide earlier detection and point to new, more targeted treatment options for at-risk Veterans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could enable earlier, more accurate detection of bladder cancer when curative treatments are most effective.
How similar studies have gone: AI and molecular profiling have shown promise in cancer detection generally, but applying neural networks specifically to early bladder carcinoma in situ in Veterans is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys
Palo Alto, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liao, Joseph C — Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys
- Study coordinator: Liao, Joseph C
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.